Fishery Improvement Project off the coast of Sulawesi

Fishery Improvement Project launched to protect tuna stocks in Banda Sea off the coast of Sulawesi

Los Angeles

October 21, 2016

Bright Star Foods (BSF) is delighted to announce that they have partnered with Dharma Samudera Fishing Industries (DSFI) to launch a Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP) to promote sustainability for yellowfin tuna and other neritic tuna species in the Banda Sea off the coast of Sulawesi. The main impetus for this FIP was the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission’s (IOTC) recommendation to reduce catches of yellowfin tuna by 20%, requiring immediate action to increase stock levels.

The recent status of the Banda Sea fishing region:

Breeding Ground for Yellowfin and other tuna species

Overfishing due to the arrival of commercial fishing vessels has affected the livelihoods of the traditional people.

High prevalence of foreign and illegal fishing vessels

The Indonesian Government's recent crack-down on illegal fishing has served to provide a platform for a resurgence in local fishermen to restart their traditional practices.

For the fisherman involved in this partnership, the goal is to ensure the long-term future of the tuna fishing industry in the Banda Sea thus guaranteeing them the possibility of long-term economic benefits and opportunities gained through international market access. This will foster the increase of traditional methods of artisanal fishing in the region, including kite fishing and hand-lining. Another goal is to ensure the development of a Banda Sea fisheries management plan, to be administered by DFSI.

This partnership will not only promote sustainability, it will enforce transparency and traceability to ensure that the origin of the tuna and its population status is closely monitored and self regulated. The initiative should improve the accuracy and availability of catch data as well.

An important element of this FIP launch has been the advice and information received from Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP). SFP is an NGO, shaping corporate responsibility, which works closely with companies providing information on various fisheries and education to develop programs that work to advance sustainability.

BSF sources a majority of its tuna from the western part of the Indian Ocean. As working with fisheries that promote sustainability is paramount, BSF strives to increase the volume of certified and sustainable products across its sourcing supply chain.